Pneumatic ticket distributing system



April 4, 1944-. E W GENT 2,345,967

FNEUMATIC' TICKET DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM F11ed April 21, 1942 3 sheets-sheet 1 F/G. 3 TS2 D m f Tu *1 3/ TUJTU /2 f 1 1^ e 'EL 1Q ME* c@ I .W3

l ATTORNEY pxrl 4, 15.94% E, W GENT 2,345,967

PNEUMATIC TICKET DISTRI'BUTING SYSTEM Filed April 2l, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTOR By E W GENT J2. QKQQMM( ATTORNEY Filed April 21 1942 3 SheevbS-Sheeil 3 ATTORNEY pri 4, 944.,

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4 Patented Apr. 4, 194:4

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PNnUMATrc TICKET DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM v Edgar W. Gen t, Morristown, N. J., jassigner to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation .ofNew York Applicaties sprii 21, 194g, `serai No. 439,875

(Creez- 2) Claims.

This invention relates to pneumatic ticket distributing systems and more specically to a pneumatic ticket distributing system for use, for ex.- arnple, for the distribution of toll tickets in telephone exchange systems and the like- The vobject of the invention is to improve the operation ,of such pneumatic ticket distributing systems, simplifying their installation and decreasing their upkeep and manufacturing costs.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a layout showing a ticket-receiving valve and a plurality of` ticket-sending'valves placed at different operators positions with connections to ticket-guiding tubes and to an air circulator;

Fig. 2 is a complemental view o1 Fig. l showing a number of combined ticket-receiving and sending valves .with ticketfguidingV tube connections to a tube junction connecting with the receiving valve shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4A isa View similar toFig. 4 but with the adjustable `slide valves shown in v.their normal positions;

5 is a View of a clamping device, partly in section, used for `connecting .the adjacent ends of two ticket-guiding tubes; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective View in section of kthe clamping device shown placed over a rubber band wound over vthe peripheral edges of the abutting ends of two ticket-guiding tubes.

As shown in the drawings, the pneumatic ticket distributing system of the invention may consist of any .desired number yof ticketsending valves as W, WI, W2 and W3 connected `as shown in Fig. 1 to a power-driven air `circulator VIll of the vac uurn cleaner type by a tubing II of circular cross section and branch tubings I2', I3, YI d and I5 which are in turn connected to casings M, MI, M2 and M3 serving forhousing electric motors, not shown, provided for actuating therollers as `r and TI of the receiving valves W, WI,etc` asby pulleys and belt connections, the strea-nisof air-from ,motor casings M, M I, M2 and M3 passing through tubing connections N, Nl N2, N3 anr'thence through bypassjchambersb, bI', Ib2 and 'b3 connecting with Fig. 3 is a partial enlarged view of the common rectangularcross section, the rollers r and rl of thereceiving valves W, WI, W2 and W3 forming air r seals at'the ends of `tubes T SI, TS2, etc., while 'a plug PI (shown in Fig; 1) closes the opposite end of tubing VI I V.The Valves W, ^WI, W2 and W3 are each secured to the underside of a mounting board or table, as I BQI?, i8 and I9, placed at different operators positions with the ticket chutes 2l), 2|, 22 `and 235er the Valves W3, W2, WI and W extending' in openingsthrough the mounting boards in position shown in Fig. 1 for receiving the tickets asTK tobe dispatched through the rotation of rollers r and 'rI of each ValVeW, WI, W2 and W3 andthe propelling effect of the flow of air in ticket-guiding tubes TSI, TS2, TSS and TS2 of rectangular cross sections connecting at remotely placed combined ticketreceiving and sending valves RW, RWI and RWZ in turn connected to the byLpass chambers bsl, be2l and -bs3 by similar pairs o i Vclamping elements CI and C2, best seen in'Figs. Band 6, having inwardly formed grooves at Zei fitting over a rubber band 25 wound under tension around the peripheral edges of flanges 26 and?? vof the abutting'ends of ticket-guiding tubes v"asT-Si and TC connecting the sending Valve W2 with the combined receiving and sending valves RWI, lthe clamping elements being firmly secured in posit-ion thereon under the tightening effect of screws V2`Iland 28.

YThe sending sides of the combined valves RW, RWIV and1RW2,-s`hown in Fig. 2, are connected to atube junction TJ shown in Figs. 1 and 3 through .theirair by-pass chambers BSI, BSZ and BSS and pneumatic ticket-guiding tubes TU, TU2 and TUB .while in certain operating conditions of the system the ticketfsending valve W I is connected directly to .tube junction TJby ticket-guiding tube TS2. Tube junction TJ as shown in Figs, 1 and?, and in vertical sections in Figs. 4 and 4A consists cfguidingtube connections 30, 3|, 32, 33 secured to or formed integrally with the wall of an air luy-pass vchamber 134 while a tubing 35 of .circnlarcioss section connects this Icy-pass cham- .ber .to Aa tubing branch 36A in turn connecting Wthmeturn tubing 36 leading to the air eirculator Ill by connection 38, the Astream oiair from the constricted end155 of tube'junction TJ passing through by-pass chamber 31X, the connection 31, the motor housing M5 and the tubing connection 3i'Y to the return tubing 36 and thence to the air circulator It, while a plug P2 (shown in Fig. 1) closes the opposite-end of4 tubing 36.

Therair pressure variations in the ticket-guidticiget-guiding tubes frei, Tse, r`rse and Tsi of me tubes Tslg'rsz, Tssand '11st, and TU, 'IUz 'and TU3 may be compensated by the adjustment of slide valves or vanes in the form of pairs of metallic strips 40-40, lil-4I, 42-42 and 43-43 mounted (as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5) for longitudinal movement against the narrow sides of tube sections 30, 3|, 32 and 33 guided in slots in the wall of by-pass casing 34, these valves being formed with rectangular openings OPI, OP2, OP3 and OP4 and vane portions VPI, VP2, VP3 and VP4, best seen in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 4A provided for a purpose which will be hereinafter described in detail.

The valve strips 4U-40, lll-4I, 42-42 and lilid3 of each tube section 30, 3|-, 32 and 33 are arranged to be moved by pairs from their nonoperated position shown in Fig. lA to one of the positions as indicated by the marks m printed on the tube sections 30, 3|, 32 and 33 in Fig. 3

by the turning movement of knobs 40A, 4IA, 42A

and 63A keyed to one end of their supporting shafts 53, 5I, 52 and 53, respectively, journaled in pairs of bearings at 50A, SIA, 52A and 53A, formed with the tubingsections 30, 3|, 32 and 33, respectively, each shaft having a pair of pinions yas Sli-60, lil- El, y(i2- 62, 63-63 engaging with the gear rack portions formed at similarly disposed edges of valve strips 40-40, III-4I, :i2- 42 and 43-43 for moving them from open positions where the openings OPI of these sliding strips register with the series of perforation PF at the narrow sides of'tubing sections 30, 3l, 32 and 33 to any one of the positions indicated by the graduation marks m for partially closing the openings PF and thereby controlling the velocity of the flow of air in the tubes and consequently the speed of the tickets relative to the peripheral speed of the rollers at the receiving sides of valves RW, RWI, RW2 of the combined receiving and sending valves and to the peripheral speed of the rollers of the receiving valves RV connected to the constricted end of the tube junction TJ.

In an example of operation of the pneumatic ticket distributing system of the invention, with the air circulator IIJ operating, a stream of air is generated and moving at a predetermined velocity in the tube II in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, and into the branch tubings l2, I3, I4 and I5, passing into the casings M, MI, M2 and M3, the connections N, NI, N2, N3, the by-pass chambers b, bI, b2 and b3 of sending valves W3, W2, WI and W connected as above described vto the combined receiving and sending valves RW2, RWIand RW by the ticketguiding tubes T54, TS3 and TSl, while the ticketguiding tube TS2 connects direct to the ticketreceiving valve RV through the junction tube TJ.

-The streams of air from the tubings TSI, TS2, 'PS3 and TSG moving in a direction of the arrows shown in Figs, land 2 pass through the by-pass chambers BSI, BSZ and BB3 of the combined valves RW, RWI and RW2 and thence to the ticket-receiving valve RV by ticket-guiding tubes TU, TU2 and TU3 and, as above mentioned, the sending valve WI with ticket-guiding tube TS2 connecting with the Valve RV through the tubing junction TJ, the air returning to the tube 36 through the adjustable sliding strips or valves of by-pass chambers 34 and 31X, the casing M5 of this valve and the return tube 3B connected as above mentioned to the air circulator |3, the streams of air passing into the casings M, MI, M2 and M3 and M5 being effective to cool the motors of these` valves while in operation. A ticket TB.' placed into chute 23 of sending valve W, for example, will be gripped by the operation of the rollers 1 and rI and moved thereby intol the adjacent end of ticket-guiding tube TSI from which the stream of air in this tube will impart a movement to the ticket to a point against the periphery of rollers R2 and R3 forming the receiving side of combined valve RW, the rollers r2 and r3 rotating in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 being effective to drive the ticket onto the receiving rack ra of this valve at the front of the operators position.

The ticket TK received by valve RW following its proper identification by the telephone operator is sent to receiving valve RV for collection by introducing it into the chute CHI of valve RW forming the sending side thereof, such a ticket being gripped by the rollers R3 and R4 turning in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 and driven into the ticket-guiding tube TU having its opposite end connected to the tube junction TJ and against the periphery of the rollers in the receiving valve RV from which it falls as by gravity onto the desk d of this operators position.Y

supposing now that a blockade of tickets occur, for example, at any point along the ticketguiding tube TU, an increased air pressure and velocity of the air streams will occur in the ticket-sending tubes TU2 and TU3 and into ticket-guiding tubes TS2 resulting in the travel of the tickets in these tubes at a greater velocity than that of the peripheral speed of the delivery rollers of valve RV thus requiring the adjustment of slidable valves 40-40, 42-42, 43-43. This adjustment is eiected by the rotation of shafts 53, 52 and 53 (Figs. 3, 4 and 4A)A byhknob AOA, 42A and 43A, respectively, for rotating the sets of pinions 60, 62 and 63 carried by these shafts and thereby moving the slide valves lill-43, I2- 42 and 43-43 through the engagement of their gear.rack portions with the set of pinions for positioning these slide valves to the required position as indicated by the marks printed on the junction tube sections 30, 3|, 32 and 33 best seen in Fig. 3, thus reducing the velocity of the air streams in their respective ticket-guiding tubes to values corresponding to the peripheralL velocity of the rollers of valve RV acting on the ticket to be delivered on the board of the operatorsposition d, the operation of sliding valves by pairs IIB-40, III-4I, 42--42 and 43-43 preventing the stoppage of the tickets at the by-pass of the tube junction 34 by avoiding being drawn to one side thereof as would follow upon the individual operation of these valves due to theunbalanced Yair velocity which would result at these points.`

The air cut-off Valve A of branch tubing VI5 is closed following the closing of sliding Yvalves 4I of tube TU so as to prevent any escape of air in this guiding tube while beingY dismantled by the removal of the necessary clamping devices CI and C2 at the ends of the ticket tube section affected, air cut-off valves B, C and D being provided for closing the flow of air to ticket sending tube TS2, TS3 and,TS4 vin the manner above described in connection with ticket sending tube TU connected to ticket sending valve W by ticket sending tube TSI whenever blockades occur in these tubes.

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic ticket distributing system comprising an air circulator, a main tubing having branches, a plurality of rollerv ticket-sending valves having casings connected to the branchesl of said tubing, a motor in each of said casings for actuating the rollers of said sending valves, an air by-pass element for each of ysaid sending valves connecting with said casings, ticket-guiding tubes, and combined ticket-sending and receiving valves connected to the opposite ends of said ticket-guiding tubes, the streams of air passing into said casings cooling said motors.

2. A pneumatic ticket distributing system comprising an air circulator, a main tubing connecting at one end to said circulator and having a plurality of tubing branches, a plurality of roller sending valves connecting with said tubing branches, a plurality of combined roller sending and receiving valves, ticket-guiding tubes interconnecting said roller sending and said roller sending and receiving valves, a receiving valve, a tube junction having its constricted end connected to said receiving valve, ticket-guiding tubes connecting the sending sides of said sending and receiving valves to said tube junction, individually operable mechanism adjustable for controlling the speed of the air stream in each of the first and second-mentioned guiding tubes at said tube junctions, means for indicating the adjusted position of each of said mechanisms, and a return tube connecting said receiving valve to said air circulator in a closed circuit arrangement.

3. A pneumatic ticket distributing system comprising an air circulator, a main tubing having one of its ends connected to said circulator, ticket-sending valves having chutes for receiving the ticket to be transmitted, tubing branches connecting said ticket-sending valves to said main tubing, said sending valves having air bypass elements, ticket-guiding tubes connecting at one of their ends to said bv-pass elements in axial alignment with said chute, combined ticket-sending and receiving valves having air by-pass elements connecting with the opposite end of said ticket-guiding tubes, rollers in said sending valves for driving the tickets from said chutes into said guiding tubes, rollers in said sending and receiving valves for driving the tickets out of said guiding tubes and forming air seals at the end of said ticket guiding tubes, a tube junction, other ticket tubes connecting with said tube junction and having their other ends connected to the air by-pass of said sending and receiving valves in axial alignment with the sending side of the combined sending and receiving valves, and a receiving valve connected to the constricted end of said tube junction having an air by-pass element connecting said air circulator through a tubing connecting with the motor casing of the last-mentioned receiving valve.

4. A pneumatic ticket distributing system comprising a plurality of ticket-sending valves, a plurality of combined sending and receiving valves, ticket-guiding tubes interconnecting said sending valves to the receiving side of said combined valves, a receiving valve, a tube junction, ticket-guiding tubes having one of their ends connecting With the sending end of said combined valves and their other ends to said tube junction, an air by-pass common to said tube junction, and adjustable means for controlling the air flow from said tube junction to said receiving valve.

5. In a pneumatic ticket distributing system, a tube junction having an air by-pass, a plurality of ticket-guiding tubes having one of their ends connected to said tube junction a pluralitt7 of combined receiving and sending valves having their sending sides connected to the other ends of said ticket-guiding tubes, a receiving valve connected to the constricted end of said junction and having rollers for delivering the tickets, a plurality of adjustable means for controlling the ilovv of air from said ticket-guiding tubes to said receiving valve, each of said adjustable means comprising a plurality of air paths leading from the tube junction to said by-pass, longitudinally movable strips for varying the area of said air paths, said strips having gear rack portions, a shaft for each pair of said strips, a pair of pinions carried by each of said shafts engaging a pair of said strips for simultaneous operation and a knob carried by each of said shafts for rotating them to move said strips in position for adjusting the flow of air in each of said ticket-guiding tubes to values corresponding to the peripheral speed of the rollers in said receiving valve.

EDGAR W. GENT. 

